How to Get Hired

If you’ve ever wondered how to get a job at Lush, you’re arrived in the right place!

We asked our very own recruiting team how to stand out from the crowd, what to expect when you’re interviewing and what often surprises candidates about Lush.

Let’s meet the team!

Ashley Feist is the lead recruiter for our Vancouver manufacturing teams. She hires for variety of roles from production staff to management positions. She also supports our buying, sustainability, charitable givings and construction teams with their hiring needs.

Padraic Ryan is our head office recruiter supporting teams such as brand communications, finance, accounting, IT, human resources and more. The roles he is responsible for are incredibly diverse—from technical to creative and everything in between.

Zeba Manki is one of Lush’s three retail recruiters. She hires Shop Managers and Assistant Managers (or as we call them, Manager in Training). She’s always looking for great retail talent across North America and Puerto Rico!

What makes a candidate stand out from the crowd?

Ashley: Personality and the ability to prove worth. I want to know what an employee would bring to the table if they were hired!

Padraic: Using words like “team player” and “collaborator”! 90% of hiring someone here is based on finding someone who believes in the same things we do and is passionate about our brand. We love candidates who can come in on day one and bring fresh ideas.

Zeba: Having relevant experience in the role you’re applying for, and speaking to coaching, developing and creating a happy environment. It also means a lot to us if you’ve visited the shop you’re interviewing for and can articulate why you’re interested in this shop and opportunity.

Applicants at a Lush hiring fair

What advice would you give to a friend who wanted to work at Lush?

Ashley: It’s like no other company out there! No single day at work is ever going to be the same, and nothing is set out on a pretty little platter for you. You have to be OK with chaos, sometimes sudden change, and be ready to step outside your comfort zone.

Padraic: Follow our campaigns! Go into our stores and talk to the sales associates about our products and our brand. When we get an application from a candidate who has done their homework on the company, it really does make a difference.

Zeba: Do some research on the company, the role and specific location you’re interested in. Know why you want to work there but also know what you’d like to gain from Lush in terms of your career goals. We’re interviewing you, but you should interview us as well!

Is there anything a candidate should absolutely NOT do?

Ashley: Talk badly about a previous employer. It’s important that a candidate can show they can learn from an experience, appreciate the opportunity and move on gracefully.

Padraic: A common mistake is applying to every open position. You’re far more likely to be successful if you focus on where you want to see yourself growing in the next 3/5/10 years and apply to roles that relate directly to getting you there.

Zeba: Don’t apply try to fit a square peg into a round hole. Think about where your skills fit in the most, and apply for the role that most closely matches your qualifications.

Can you describe the hiring process at Lush?

Ashley: It varies depending on the role! When we hire large numbers of staff for the holiday season, we typically host in-house hiring fairs, which showcase our brand, allow people to meet the faces at Lush and get hands-on with products. We also do phone interviews, in-person interviews, and working interviews, so candidates can get a good idea on what it’s like to work on the manufacturing floor at Lush.

Padraic: When it comes to head office positions, we keep postings open until we find the right candidate. This can take anywhere from 1-3 months, depending on the seniority or speciality of the role. Usually a recruiter is the first person a candidate speaks with. If that’s successful, they meet with the team manager, then a final interview happens with the department director.

Zeba: We have a unique hiring process in retail! First you apply online (and I always recommend you apply online). We then contact candidates whose experience aligns with the opportunity. Next, there’s a telephone interview between the candidate a recruiter. Then it gets interesting: we ask you to visit the shop you’re interviewing for and secret shop them—we want to know what worked well and what could we do better. It’s a great opportunity to go into the shop with a Store Manager hat on! Finally, you’ll have an in-person interview with the area manager.

Are there any special considerations for your particular area of the business?

Ashley: Happy to be on your feet in a very fast-paced environment, our giant kitchen is not for the faint of heart; we work hard but we have a ton of fun too!

Padraic: As our head office is located in Vancouver, we require most of our candidates to be able to work in-house at the office. With that said, we do have some roles in Toronto and across North America with flexible and tele-commuter work schedules.

Zeba: It’s important to demonstrate how you meet the job requirements as they’re specified in the job description. And if you’re able to relocate, it’ll open up more opportunities for you, we are a growing retailer and need people to grow with us!

What’s something candidates are usually surprised to learn about Lush?

Ashley: That our Toronto and Vancouver manufacturing facilities supply to Canada AND the US. And most candidates don’t know that if you peel back the little face sticker on our products there’s a secret message hidden underneath!

Padraic: When they get a tour of the office, candidates get to see how handmade everything really is and how collaborative we work as a team. The buzz of the office is what really solidifies candidates wanting to work here.

Zeba: We practice what we preach! We stand for and by our values and try to infuse it into all aspects of our business, including allowing our managers a lot of control over their stores, like entrepreneurs.